1999 Catera, RKE Problem

[junksiege]

Maybe someone has seen this before...

I just bought a 99 Catera (replacing my 97 that was totalled a week ago), and it had only one key and no remotes. I called my local caddy dealer and was told that the gm part number for the remote is gm#16259819.

The remotes I had from my last catera matched so I took them down to the dealer for that infamous tech-II programming. They wouldn't program. They double checked the part number, no problems. Checked batteries, no problems. They checked to see if the remotes were working and both were transmitting fine, but the car would not recognize them....

So of course for $90 they would look into the problem. $90 just to look is a little pricey for me, especially if there is a thing or two I can investigate on my own first.

I am wondering: Where is the RKE module (or whatever it's called) located at in the car? Is gm#16259819 really the correct part number? Perhaps the dealer looked up a 1997 part number by mistake (twice, mind you). Any thoughts on how to resolve the issue? A catera without a remote scares me...just my luck my driver side lock with fail on me when I can least afford it, and getting the trunk open is a pain as there is no keyed lock on the trunk.

[TomCat]

That serial # you have is the same for my '97 remote. If the Model/FCC # is AB01602T, then it for sure won't work on your '99. You can find remotes on Ebay for the '99 - they'll usually tell you what the serial #s are in the auction. One auction states it should work if the 99's VIN is within a certain range, but it doesn't say what range.

[junksiege]

Thanks for the info. I have called a few more cadillac dealers in various parts of the country, and have received different responses from each. The most helpful person I spoke to informed me that there was a computer change in catera's in 1999, so earlier models have a different cpu than later models, and based on vin number, my correct remote should be GM #16259819, which is the same as the remote I currently have and that my local dealer says won't program to the car.

Also, one dealer said I need GM #25656444, and another told me GM #1624510. So...I am very confused as to what to do. My local dealer wants $90 to just look into it, but I'm not totally sure I even have the right remotes.

I also question whether I have a bad reciever module or some electrical short causing it to malfunction.

Needless to say I'm puzzled.

Thanks again, and thanks in advance to anyone with some info.

[junksiege]

Also, I forgot to mention, remote GM#16259819 is Model/FCC # AB01602T.

My dealer says it matches but TomCat as well as a dealer in L.A. says it surely won't work.